Mezzo

Publisher
ADV
Director
Yasuomi Umetsu
Production
MEZZO Committee
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
13 episodes
Year
2003

Mezzo: Shell One (eps 1-5)

By John Huxley
19th Jul 05

Though my views on Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon may be massively outspoken, I do appreciate its success for at least one reason - namely cementing Yuen Wo Ping’s reputation at an international level. An ‘action director’ as Hollywood would call him, Yuen Wo Ping was the man behind many of Hong Kong’s best martial arts films including the original Drunken Master, Once Upon a Time in China and Iron Monkey. Fans of his work, the Wachowski brothers bought him to into the spotlight with The Matrix trilogy before Ang Lee sought his considerable talents to help bring his acclaimed period epic to life. Despite this enviable resume you won’t find Yuen Wo Ping’s name on any award outside of Hong Kong. Heck, I’d be surprised if he was even invited to the Oscars, let alone nominated.

So what does all this have to do with Mezzo, you might ask? Well, I like Mezzo. Not because it’s thought-provoking, heart warming or even a particularly competent piece of cinema. I like Mezzo because, at its best, the action gives me the kind of rush that Yuen Wo Ping’s films deliver with such impressive regularity. Its presentation may be designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator, but it’s my (admittedly humble) opinion that such finely choreographed action is no less deserving of praise and attention than the average musical or ballet production. All of which leads me to question why action-heavy titles (and in turn, their creators) such as this are constantly undervalued and even dismissed as trash. Choreography is an art form, and one which deserves to be treated as such.

Anyway...rant over, on with the review! Believe it or not, there is a story of sorts hiding behind the glittery facade. DSA, the Danger Service Agency, are a trio of misfits willing to take on any job as long as it fulfills just one requirement: it’s really, really dangerous. Unsurprisingly the DSA attract all sorts of weirdos from ghosts to genuine outer space aliens, though it would take a lot more than that to faze Mikura, the all-action frontman of the DSA. Luckily for her she’s in like-minded company; Kurokawa is an ex-cop who acts more like an ex-con and the always reliable Harada provides the technical know-how along with the requisite crazy hairdo. Maybe not the calibre of personage you’d be hoping for from an organisation like the DSA, yet nobody gets job done quite like these guys.

With a couple of exceptions, each episode of Mezzo represents an individual story in which the DSA embark on a new mission. Though they claim not to be private detectives, many of these stories incorporate investigative elements as Mikura and the gang are accosted by a hapless victim and then proceed to hunt down whichever culprits are to blame for that particular wrongdoing, collecting a big wad of cash along the way. Hardly the most taxing of affairs, you’re unlikely to find yourself enthralled with Mezzo’s simplistic plotting. There are a few deviations into the world of the bizarre and supernatural, however, which serve to add a welcome edge of uncertainty to the otherwise transparent proceedings.

To their credit, Mezzo’s writers do attempt to introduce something a little less simplistic with a Boogiepop Phantom style interlinking storyline which spreads across the final two episodes on this disc. Unfortunately the patchy execution doesn’t take full advantage of this unusual nonlinear narrative and many of the situations appear disappointingly contrived. Although very little came of this flawed foray into nonlinear storytelling, there are several more promising developments that suggest Mezzo is building up to something more substantial than the entertaining yet ultimately shallow episodes included here.

Of course, the flimsy storyline is really little more than a showcase for the spectacular action sequences, which is where Mezzo really begins to show its true colours. A pleasing concoction of gunplay, fisticuffs and explosions, Mezzo’s action is generally executed with the kind of style and flair that elevated the likes of Devilman to the very top of my all-time favourite anime. The first fight scene in particular is a beautiful piece to behold, as Mikura flips, kicks and blasts her way through several gormless lackeys in a perfect combination of pin-sharp animation and flawless CGI. The whole thing is executed with such energy and finesse I’m reminded that, in the right hands, anime can be every bit as exhilarating as the very best Hollywood blockbuster or Hong Kong kung-fu film. Coupled with the dynamic visuals only anime can deliver, perhaps even more so.

So what’s preventing me from wholeheartedly recommending Mezzo to like-minded action fans? Simply put, the quality doesn’t hold out. It was obvious that very first fight was meant as a showpiece with which to sell the series, so a drop in quality was in some respects to be expected. Though the excellent direction and choreography remain, thanks to some dreadfully inconsistent animation Mezzo can only offer the occasional glimpse of such brilliance. In its place we’re subject to a perfectly competent yet mercilessly crippled series of action sequences which pepper the proceeding four episodes. Which is a real shame, because given a larger budget and a little more production time Mezzo could have been something truly spectacular. The ingredients were all there, it just needed a little more care and attention.

That said, Mezzo only being 13 episodes long could well spell a return to form in due course. I’m certainly hoping that the final eight episodes can provide something like the action we were promised with the first tantalising episode.

Besides, even robbed of such a seemingly crucial element there’s still quite a lot to recommend Mezzo. The bright colour schemes and quirky designs of the central characters reflect their personalities well; these are a diverse and pleasantly enthusiastic bunch that can lighten even the most dour of scenes. And although any real substantial character development is relatively thin on the ground, they should be able to hold your interest long enough to see the rest of series through. That’s assuming we’re spared the torture of any more prolonged karioke sessions, of course!

The punchy script allows for consistent comic interludes that tie in well with the action-heavy storylines, almost to the point where Mezzo becomes more of an action comedy than straight action series. At any rate, it’s certainly the most lighthearted of its contemporaries, and in my opinion all the better for it. As a complete package, Mezzo is just so much fun you can forgive it’s few shortcomings.

Nevertheless you may prefer to wait and see how the final two volumes of Mezzo pan out before committing to it. But it’s certainly one to keep an eye on. I only hope the directors didn’t go and blow their whole budget on that first fight scene...

R2 DVD Notes

Features: English subtitles, English 5.1 and Japanese 2.0 audio, clean open/close, production sketches, ADV previews

Release information: UK: 18/7/2005, ADV

Notes: Understandably going for the sex appeal angle, ADV’s cover for Mezzo features an unsubtle and detailed ‘upskirt’ shot of Mikura in her skintight orange costume. Well, I can hardly complain about the lack of a focal point! Bright and cheerful, Mezzo’s cover design reflects the style of the show perfectly, and the inclusion of a suitably striking double-spread on the inside cover is the icing on the cake. Sadly the extras are much less impressive, with only the clean open/close and a few production sketches to speak of. ADV certainly haven’t lost their touch when it comes to presentation, but I know they can do better with the extras. Here’s hoping.

-- John Huxley 19th Jul 05

Mezzo Images